Everyday I am constantly reminded of how lucky I am. Tuscany is really at its best in fall. Not only is the scenery fabulous, incredible light, but the food and wine is really my favorite in fall. Panzano in Chianti half-way between Florence and Siena on the 222 This past week on our Chianti Experience…
My Market Days- Sharing My Friends
I have always adored traveling in September. In Tuscany it is when all my favorite food festivals begin, which is why I love week-long programs starting now all through November. This week we started with our first dinner at the Porcini Mushroom dinner run by the city swim team as a fund-raiser, not bad, why…
Italian Amaretti Apricots- Summer Food Fest- Stone Fruits
As peaches, plums and apricots hit the markets; both my husband and I risk stomach aches daily from eating too much fruit. But how can one resist when buying right from the farmers, still warm from the tree. With a simple white peach, pureed and served with Prosecco, Italy celebrates summer with the Bellini cocktail-…
Simple Summer Recipe- Affogato
Hot time- summer in the city— and all I can think about are ways to cool off! After lunch yesterday I could not resist getting one of my favorite desserts hot or cold- Gelato Affogato- a drowned ice cream. Nothing could be easier. Gelato Affogato Let your ice cream soften some before scooping, Italian gelato is not…
More Zucchini Ideas
Why is it that zucchini’s are so prolific? Luckily in Italy, they have more zucchini ideas to use up the gut from the garden. Yesterday’s zucchini from the garden were a mixed batch. Some just blossoms and one lovely HUGE blossom with the tiny zucchini still attached. My first fried zucchini blossom was served like…
Summer is Here
To me, the first sign that summer has arrived is a craving for a big dish of Tuscan Panzanella. A celebration of summer made with fresh sweet red onions, ripe tomatoes and cucumbers with crumbled bread and basil. An edible Italian flag, red, white and green. It is seasoned with rich unfiltered Tuscan olive oil, tart…
Spring is Here
Although the rain has been non-stop, Spring is here. The hills of Tuscany are like a velvet patchwork with tiny knots of red poppies everywhere. The wheat fields swaying in the wind, the grapevines finally forming leaves, filling in the hills with shades of green. Acacia blossoms ( Black Locust) dotting the trees with white…
Cookies for Lent
Don’t ask me how cookies can be for Lent, but takes an Italian cook to create something sweet, even when one is supposed to be giving things up. The story goes that these dry cookies were supposed to help you while fasting during lent. Carnevale– is taken from levare carne– or to take away meat….